SPLASH: The X-Press Pearl Disaster X-Press Pearl by Carlos Luxul author of The Ocean Dove The X-Press Pearl  sank on June 2 in what is now referred to as the worst maritime ecological disaster in Sri Lanka’s history. The wreck is close to shore, too close, and it won’t be long before the effects of the ship’s fuel and other pollutants are felt, along with the cocktail of cargoes (some hazardous) from close to 1,500 containers the ship was carrying. The world watched with horror. Neighbouring governments rushed to offer assistance. Brave salvage teams did what they could. Concerned maritime and environmental organisations wrung their hands – and the blazing ship filled our TV screens. For the general public, it was just another accident at sea, just another example of the nasty, polluting shipping industry carrying out its business, a business dominated by shady shell companies in far away places that don’t play by the rules. That’s the public’s perception, but they want their consum

Two major shipping publications recently published an article I wrote about the factors surrounding a impending maritime disaster. As an author of a plausible oceanic catastrophe, The Ocean Dove , I am fascinated by political agendas that act against humankind. Read it in full below or click on the links... SPLASH : FSO Safer - a ticking time bomb HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS : FSO Safer - a ticking time bomb   FSO Safer   A ticking bomb Carlos Luxul , author of The Ocean Dove TheOcean Dove focuses on a new kind of danger arising from abuses of shipping’s loose regulatory framework. Thankfully it’s a novel, and while the disaster scenario in its climax is rooted in plausibility and could so easily happen, I sincerely hope it doesn’t. Meanwhile, back in real life, a disaster is just waiting to happen and the world seems powerless to stop it. Perhaps powerless is not the right word. The world certainly possesses the power. What it lacks is the will. The Ras Isa oil terminal  sits a